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Goodbye and RIP John Hurt Who said of Downton Abbey: “I just think it is poxy! I mean, I'm sorry, but it is rotten writing and rotten acting.“ And also this: “I remember talking to Olivier when we were doing Lear. He said: 'When it comes to your obituary they will only mention two or three performances, and they will be the ones that defined you early on.' I said: 'What will they write about you?' Richard III and Wuthering Heights_', he replied. And he was right.” So today you’ll hear a lot about his death scene in Alien, and his role as The Elephant Man, but let’s also remember we’ve lost a man who played The Doctor, who voiced the dragon in Merlin, Winston from the film 1984, Mr Olivander from the Harry Potter films, and the narrator of Dogville (which imho is one of most horrific studies into human nature ever conceived).

Sneaky little Summerses! That was exactly my issue. First glance, I knew the answer. Glances two through five I grew more unsure. Glance six, I was curled into a fetal ball babbling about the return of the kindly ones. Thanks for this also! As further illumination goes, it’s pretty darn lit up. Although, no matter how serious my writing, I’m gonna let beauty trump technicality. Actually, beauty is pushing it for mine. Readability, say.

I’m with Bronxwench and you, JayDee, on this one. I can’t really articulate it any better than either of you, though. I’m about 80% confident it should be “Snyder’s Summers Sexfest”.

Think of the “Summers Sexfest” as an event. If it were to need an apostrophe and an appended “s” to denote possession, or reference to the event, it would correctly be placed at the end of the event title: Summers Sexfest’s location, for example. So, if the possession is on the part of Snyder, then “Snyder’s Summers Sexfest” is correct.

There is a wickedly dark book out, by an author who goes only by 19, called Schadenfreude. It is brutal, bleak, and without anything even closely resembling a happy ending, but it is perhaps one of the most chilling glimpses into the mentality of the doctors in the camps during the Third Reich. I will, eventually, read it a second time, but I need just a little more time before I’m quite ready for that one again. You’ve got the same brilliant ambiguity already showing in your characterization of Waeckerle as 19 did with his antagonist, Dr. Ahren Kaltherzig. As dreadful as Kaltherzig is, one cannot purely hate him, nor does he ever become a cliche. I feel it in my bones; your Waeckerle will be just as difficult to pin down, and that’s extraordinary.

Is anyone else, like me, looking at the news in sheer unbelieving horror? Or has everyone taken the route of sanity and turned it off? Refugees denied, families seperated, US residents denied entry… suddenly that TV section from the newspaper about the inauguration doesn’t seem as funny. And I swear everyone around him.. you can see in their eyes that they know he’s completely and utterly insane. They just haven’t got a clue what to do about it. This is some really, really bad shit… and terrifying.

I think I agree with Bronx, but does the confusion stem from LL wanting to indicate that there is more than one Summers involved? Ugh… at first glance you know the answer, then it becomes weirder and weirder... When saying “Snyder’s Summers’ Sexfest” we get the confusion over whose sexfest it is. While “Snyder’s Summers Sexfest” might only involve Joyce, Buffy, Dawn, all three, or any combination. The only proper way to indicate possession by Snyder, while also indicating there is more than one Summers involved would be to say: “Snyder’s Summerses Sexfest” Example here is from grammarbook.com: Wow… what happens when you say: “Snyder’s Summerses’ Sexfest”? It's like Inception or something… (please do not look into the void, as it may look back into you)

Definitely will read it. Before I even saw your post, Pippy, I looked it up while on break at work. (I’m a bit of an old fashioned, kind of crazy person that buys the paper… Nothing beats the smell of a new book…)…

They’re even more prolific than Mary Sue.

try clearing your cookies for the adult-fanfiction.org ONLY. If memory serves, there are a couple places you have to do this in Firefox. Including having to “kill” persistent logins.

In my stories, the overarching antagonist is society, with the collective requirement of group thought. Don’t like it? Then, you are the problem, and must be sorted out. So, I’ll typically manifest that through characters in the story (ie, Ernest in Dolbourne Chronicles.) Of course, we all know who the real antagonists are … plot bunnies.

Have you tried several times in a row? I have the same phenomenon with Chrome sometimes. It’s kinda like launching a chainsaw; a few attempts in short order and AFF purrs like a kitten. Worked for me so far.

My villains are not that well set up, and many are existing canon ones repurposed for my fanfics. I hope to develop more, but my writing is so slow right now, I work more on plot than detail. I like redemptive arcs, so are those characters anti-villains or anti-heroes? I usually stick to motives and a simple timeline/plan.

I still haven’t caught up with your story, TCR. Hoping to later today after work, but I second Bronx’s recommendation of Schadenfreude by 19. But it is a story you’ll never forget for as long as you live. If/when you read it, make time for it. Make time for the consequence of it, because it will affect you deeply. Hell, it’s dark. I liked it so much I bought the print version.

Hi, Going through: http://books.adult-fanfiction.org/index.php# I click log in, put in my email and password and it just doesn’t do anything? I’m pretty sure my password is right, I haven’t changed it in slightly too long for good security! I’m on latest version of Firefox. Sorry to bother you and thanks for your time.

So... While watching a truly terrible movie and writing my own, I had a thought. Watching the antagonist, a mere caricature and, admittedly, boring in that regards, I started thinking to myself, ‘How?’ Obviously someone had to be paid to... Dare I say write this villain? I’m not sure that’s capable of being said. I’m pretty sure whoever put him in there looked in a dictionary under villain and took all the cliches... Which is not always a bad thing... So, coupled with a bit of a discussion with my beta regarding the same ideas within the last few weeks (has it been longer? Maybe longer... Either way...) I kind of examined my own antagonists (mostly minor in terms of the overall story at this point) and began seeing that most of what CR and I had discussed had already been put into place. Some minor tweaks here and there, a few added things into the character, a couple odd search topics in Google... And a very questionable, yet still lacking detail report regarding said character that is currently saved on my computer... Hopefully, the minor antagonist in Chapter V has taken on a new life that is not a cartoony version of hyenas marching... At least, I’m happy with the way it’s turned out. I’d like to think that I added enough to humanize, dare I say relate to (a scary thought, I know), that character. Those little bits that develop a personality, at least in terms of this one, and create a living breathing antagonist and not a two-dimensional paper cut out as I had seen within the movie... So, then, thoughts abounded... And perhaps could help other people in writing their own antagonists... How does everyone else create their antagonists? Now that I’ve rambled on and on and on long enough to bore people to death... I’d like to hear your ideas, thoughts, writing processes, and maybe there’s someone else who will benefit outright as well...

With all the quality recent guides, I’m looking forward to “Writing the Deuteragonist and Tritagonist” with step one being “Look up Deuteragonist and Tritagonist in the dictionary.”

Most of my plot bunnies are friendly, they rarely get rabid. They just keep spawning. Right now I’m satisfied with the villains in my active stories. I usually create the villain for my plot and then develop as I go. (and feel inadequate). When I look back I have motive and a tracery of backstory, they just don’t feel like enough. (I really don’t want to shift to antagonist 1st person POV, as I want the readers to know as much or little as the villains) I did try profile/outline and my muse ran away. If I go to that level detail I can’t revisit enough to actually write. That muse has a short attention span.

Fanfiction writing is excellent practice. It taught me a lot of things about character analysis, and eventually creation. Because usually we write fanfiction for the love of the characters, right? I think it’s subjective. In some senses, a character is a villain and a hero depending on their actions at any given time, but I tend to categorize characters based on their importance in my story. If they’re the central character, I’d say anti-hero, and if they’re the main conflict/opposition to the central character, then they’d be the anti-villain?

THOSE MANIACS! THOSE DAMN MANIACS! DAMN THEM! DAMN THOSE PLOT BUNNIES TO HELL! I mean, I’m okay… Hi, Anesor. Welcome to the discussion. When I started, I was kind of the opposite, I worked through the characters and their details more than the plot (I can hear the peanut gallery screaming and booing at me… Okay, who threw the rotten tomato?) For me, the characters made the story and making them realistic immersed myself in with them time and again. Understandably, as my writing grew, it became a more balanced style, plot and details equal to character. In short, develop at a pace that suits you. A piece of advice someone once told me years ago, keep everything you write. Look back on it, see how you’ve progressed, see what you’ve done, every little inch towards the goal is something to be proud of. And one that I’ll say, never stop looking at other works and reading them, seeking out advice and help, and practicing… As for the villains, everyone has to start somewhere. When I started, a lot of mine where the caricatures (Okay, enough with the boos, I get it… Okay, who’s throwing the chairs, now?) The advice I have is just to make them real. Make them have their hopes, dreams, fears, their motivations that makes them ‘evil’. Others probably have other suggestions and, like Desiderius has implied, a villain isn’t always a physical one; the faceless government or oppressive atmosphere can be just as much an antagonist as the bank robber waving a gun around during the robbery. Others have their own way to create theirs, but… My two cents worth on helping you to write a villain, now that I’ve been longwinded, as usual… I ask myself a few questions to try to get into their head: What caused Joe Blow from Idaho to become The Murderous Nightstalker? What drives them, motivates them? Are there any qualities that could be seen as redeemable (ie, do they help little old ladies across the street? Sauve like Indiana Jones? (Or, like Desiderious stated before, do they believe they’re right in what they’re doing? Do they see their actions as justice?) Hope this has some help within it…

Thank you to you both! BW’s suggestion of thinking of it as an event makes sense to me

I… I don’t know why I didn’t already try that. Yup, it works. I feel foolish now. Thanks for your time.

::nods vigorously:: It’s ALWAYS the plot bunnies.

Yep, I tried a few times. I’m getting less response than an amorous necrophile.

I do have to admit, that sounds like an interesting read and definitely have to get it now. I'm glad that the characterization of Waeckerle has translated into words. I'll try not to disappoint. :).

Hi Anon, If you check this thread, please email me and I’ll add you to a list. I’m starting to realise I should have added this to my Author’s Notes. I will amend them to make it clear, so you should get this message in any case. My email is a.slash.writer@gmail.com

Thank you, ILoveDexter! I will try not to keep you waiting so long. Glad you enjoyed it!

And thank you again! Iason, despite being a machine, is proving very difficult to predict. I half wanted rage from him too, but then when I came to write it, I realised he couldn’t. That paradoxically, Riki’s behaviour will have caused a retreat from all of these new things, like desire, like any emotion at all. It’s that thing you said last time about Riki, that he may as well beg mercy from a kitchen appliance. If Iason was angry, there would be something for Riki to work with and manipulate (or at least attempt to). Honestly, Daryl is coming across to me as a sweet soul, that doesn’t belong in the world of Ai no Kusabi at all. I think in some ways Riki was right in his assessment of Daryl. Iason has him right where he wants him, and it’s too late for him. Daryl has some kind of secret vested interest in seeing Riki succeed in some way. In fact, he’s the opposite of Iason. Iason believes that Riki’s service as a pet makes a perfect circle. Daryl on the other hand, believes that Riki represents hope. He doesn’t want to see Riki broken. And I knew I’d posted a deluge of chapters today – I certainly didn’t expect a deluge of reviews in response, but I am ever so thankful. You’re completely awesome!

Thank you, Bronx! Oh, Erestor is a devious one, though there is no malice in his games. I rather think Elladan will eventually be the “elleth” since he seems to be fascinated by it. Elrohir doesn’t quite enjoy it, which is exactly as Erestor intends. To be honest, I’m not certain the twins have even realised yet that they are being tested. At some point, Erestor is going to mistake one for the other on purpose. But come the moment, they will need to decide whether to be honest with Erestor despite their desires. That will be an interesting dilemma for them, and as of now I have no idea what the outcome will be! I do know that if they’re honest, they’ll get what they want. If they are not… oh, dear, lol. I’m glad you liked this update, even though it’s a short chapter.

Thank you so much, Bronx! I can’t tell you how glad I am that it comes across that way. I fully expected Legolas to be all like: “Crown. Now.” But that isn’t how they wanted to do it. I shouldn’t have been surprised really that Thranduil would make it a job of his to kind of dazzle Legolas. He is more experienced, after all. He kind of surprised me with that fatherly concern beneath it all, though, when he enthuses Legolas so that he’ll go out into the world and live, rather than stay forever at home (no matter how much love is between them). He’s a wily one! I think they’re going to have oodles of fun together in the remaining chapters. And then we will follow Legolas to Imladris, where he can shake up the twins. And Erestor can shake everyone up… *g*

Thank you, Bronx! Lol… Legolas has been trying to convince Gimli to go back into Fangorn for a while… he’s incredibly excited. At this point, too, Legolas is much older than he is in The Teacher (since the timeline hasn’t caught up), and he’s all for doing it wholeheartedly if he’s doing it at all. I think he needed to get his own back for the lollipop comment. The way Gimli speaks does for Legolas a lot of the time. He can be so incredibly crude. *g*

Thank you for this I wanted to write what happened when Celeborn went to see Galion out, and this seemed a good excuse to write it. Ha… I am betting Galadriel does not give up “nagging” somehow I don’t know… maybe it’s because this story is so old, and I have so many pages of notes relating to it. The world it exists in has grown despite canon. I don’t even know how many seperate little bits and pieces, and entire stories, are contained in it now. Galion is one of those places where my imagination has run off into wilder places. I like the thought of this truly ancient elf hanging around on the sidelines, refusing to “get involved” as he calls it. If Galion ever sailed to the West, who would be waiting for him? Perhaps everyone… I think he’s quite late.

Re: “Mommy’s Home” Thank you! I am actually planning to write a sequel to this one, so I hope you’ll stay tuned.

It’s a lot of work, though. I mean, just keeping up with what kind of candy little girls like is- Never mind.

Personally, I looove the antagonist role. I love a good villain, so naturally I have a looot of thoughts on this matter. I agree that the villain should think they’re doing the right thing in most cases. (Especially with new writers or writers whose strengths are not in the more naughtiness-inclined characters) But I also do think there are uses for the stereotypes. And the comical bad villains. If done well, a villain who knows they’re doing the wrong thing and loves it can be so friggin awesome! I think my favourite type of villain, usually reserved for the drama or survival genres, is the kind of person you actually find yourself rooting for and getting broken hearted over. Someone you can totally relate to and like, and want to see succeed even if you know they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing. Like the opposite of an anti-hero. An anti-villain? lol. For every kind, though, especially the ones who you try to make sympathetic, you have to be careful not to try to make them sooooo normal and relatable they become uninteresting. When writing a villain, regardless of the type you go for, I think it’s the same as writing every other character. The most important thing, to me, is to understand what motivates them, to get into their heads, to understand what they’re feeling. Even if they’re motivated by sheer LOLs. I need to see through the villain’s eyes, to feel their hatred, lust, frustration, love, or jealousy. Personally, I always need to love my villains, even if I want my readers to hate them. I was going to say more on that last point, but I’ve gone on long enough and not entirely sure what I’m talking about anymore because I have so many people chattering in my ear.

I, too, prefer the antagonist to be realistic. It makes it more heroic (shall we say) when the protagonist final overcomes them. I definitely have to agree that operating from the different point of view and doing what is ‘right’, a technical view that is quite subjective, thus working quite well in describing their mindset, is a good way to make them real. Real people make decisions all the time that otherwise lead to the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. An example that comes to mind for that is actually, strangely, from Star Trek. ST: Nemesis, for anyone not versed in this, has a clone of Jean-Luc Picard as the villain of the piece. While not the greatest and most powerful villain in the franchise (that, by far, has to be Khan from Wrath Of Khan… Okay, digress finished...), it does provide the example… Shinzon’s backstory falls into a series of backstories that describe his rough upbringing under horrendous conditions, thus leading him to lead a coup and murder off the government and take control… Et cetera, et cetera… Whereas Picard’s choices reflect the good within the UFP… Shinzon’s reflects the darker choices… ‘For now we see in a mirror darkly’, the view of what could have been had situations been different. To me, that’s what makes a good villain, a good opposite to the hero. The ‘what could have been if things were just a little different in the hero’s life. Those that believe they are doing right, too, make for a good antagonist, whether that comes from some deep religious beliefs, malformed opinions based of the propaganda and hate, or justice/revenge, as you’ve pointed out. It brings a human element to them, makes them relatable. And, to me, at least, a relatable villain is, by far, the better one.( (Sorry if this is rambling, disorganized, and incoherent… Maybe this is a sign not to answer after being up all night...)